I'm on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Northwest Wisconsin (JA), and our fiscal year fundraising campaign is in progress.
JA’s purpose is to empower young people to take ownership of their personal economic success. Our volunteers work with area educators presenting financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship skills to 15,000 students in 90+ schools annually. 2020 has obviously presented challenges for all, but JA continues to work to bring virtual and in-person programming and opportunities to kids throughout the Chippewa Valley.
Some primary reasons why I support the organization:
-JA goes into school classrooms to bring the “real world” to kids through a hands-on curriculum provided by a trained volunteer, teaching kids important concepts like how to manage their money. Schools need support from outside organizations and volunteers and teachers share that it is important for students to see & hear from community members on topics that students may not otherwise be exposed or aware of.
-Fundraising allows the organization to find and train classroom volunteers. As some of you know, I have volunteered in the classroom, and I have been humbled many times at how hard it is to educate and engage America's youth. Teaching the lessons of financial stability, ethics, civics, and business is needed today more than ever.
-Our family has always been an advocate for organizations that help people help themselves. It’s the old quote of "give a person a fish and you feed that person for a day, if you teach the person to fish, you give the person an occupation that can feed for a lifetime."
